The European green woodpecker (Picus viridis ) is a large green woodpecker with a bright red crown and a black moustache. Males have a red centre to the moustache stripe which is absent in females. It is resident across much of Europe and the western Palearctic but in Spain and Portugal it is replaced by the similar Iberian green woodpecker (Picus sharpei ).
The European green woodpecker spends much of its time feeding on ants on the ground and does not often 'drum' on trees like other woodpecker species. Though its vivid green and red plumage is particularly striking, it is a shy bird, and is more often heard than seen, drawing attention with its loud calls. A nest hole is excavated in a tree; four to six eggs are laid which hatch after 19–20 days.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe European green woodpecker is a large green bird with a bright red crown and a black moustache. Despite its striking plumage, it is a shy bird and is more often heard than seen, drawing attention with its loud calls. Both the males and the females are green above and pale yellowish green below, with yellow rump and red crown and nape; the moustachial stripe has a red centre in the male but is solid black in the female. Juveniles are spotty and streaked all over; the moustache is dark initially, though juvenile males can show some red feathers by early June or usually by July or August.
European green woodpeckers are widely distributed in Europe but are absent from some northern and eastern parts and from Ireland, Greenland, and the Macaronesian Islands. They also occur in western Asia. European green woodpeckers don’t migrate and rarely move more than around 500 m between breeding seasons. They prefer old deciduous trees for nesting and nearby feeding grounds with plenty of ants. This is usually found in semi-open landscapes with small woodlands, hedges, scattered old trees, edges of forests, and floodplain forests. They prefer to forage in grasslands, heaths, plantations, orchards, and lawns.
European green woodpeckers can be seen alone, in pairs, or in company with their young. They are active during the day and spend much of their time feeding on ants on the ground and do not often 'drum' on trees like other woodpecker species. They feed mainly on the ground probing ant nests and licking up adult ants and their larvae. European woodpeckers have tongues that wrap to the back of their head. They often forage in short-grazed or mown permanent grasslands where the availability of ant nests is high. Although European green woodpeckers are shy and wary, they usually produce loud calls, known as yaffling, which first draw attention. They 'drum' rarely (a soft, fast roll), but often give a noisy ‘kyü-kyü-kyück’ while flying. The song is a loud series of 10–18 'klü' sounds which gets slightly faster towards the end and falls slightly in pitch. The females make a thinner ‘pü-pü-pü-pü-pü-pü-pü’.
European green woodpeckers are carnivores (insectivores). They mainly feed on ants but will also occasionally take other insects and small reptiles.
European green woodpeckers appear to be monogamous and form pairs. They breed between early April and June. Nest holes are excavated in trees mostly by the male over 15-30 days. Some tree holes may even be used for breeding for more than 10 years, but not necessarily by the same pair. Females lay a single brood of 4 to 6 white eggs, measuring 31 mm × 23 mm (1.22 in × 0.91 in) and weighing 8.9 g (0.31 oz) each. After the last egg is laid, they are incubated for 19-20 days by both parents taking shifts of between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. The chicks are naked and altricial at hatching and fledge after 21-24 days.
European green woodpeckers are not threatened at present. However, these birds suffer mainly from deforestation which reduces nest sites and ant populations. Another serious reason for this species' mortality comes from harsh winters.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the European green woodpecker is 1,240,000-2,230,000 mature individuals. The European population consists of 587,000-1,050,000 pairs, which equates to 1,180,000-2,120,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are increasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...